New Delhi: United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe He was appointed as Sri Lanka’s new prime minister on Thursday, days after the last incumbent, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s brother, resigned to face mounting anger with a deepening economic crisis. This will be Wickremesinghe’s sixth term as prime minister.
“He is being sworn in as Prime Minister this evening as he has many members” Parliament Asked them to handle and solve the problems of the country.” Vajira AbhaywardeneAn official of the United National Party, headed by Wickremesinghe.
The announcement could bring some stability to the country, which is on the verge of bankruptcy and needs the government to lead bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. The country’s central bank chief has threatened to resign if political order is not restored immediately.
Here’s what you need to know about Ranil Wickremesinghe –
* 73-year-old Wickremesinghe has been in Parliament for 45 years.
* He has extensive international ties and is seen as an able negotiator.
* A lawyer by training, Wickremesinghe was first elected as an MLA in 1977.
* He is seen as a survivor in the politics of the island nation.
* He served as a minister in several governments and served as prime minister for the first time in the early 1990s.
* He had an unbroken streak in parliament until 2020, when his party was decimated following the Easter Sunday bombings.
* His political party split in 2020 amid a leadership crisis and most senior members left to form a new party, which is currently the country’s main opposition.
* Wickremesinghe’s reputation had suffered during his previous term as prime minister, when he was in a difficult power-sharing arrangement with the former president Maithripala Sirisena,
* An internal conflict and communication breakdown between him and Sirisena was blamed on intelligence lapses that led to the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in 2019, which killed more than 260 people.
* He was also accused of shielding a friend appointed as the head of the Central Bank from allegations of insider trading.
Sri Lanka is in the worst economic condition in its independent history. With inflation touching 30 per cent, the crisis has also become a political risk for the Rajapaksa family. The lack of everything from food to basic medicines has brought angry citizens to the streets over the past several weeks. On Monday, largely peaceful protests turned violent with government supporters attacking protesters.
The then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, but this did not quell the anger. Protesters have long demanded that the president also step down and that the constitution be amended to reduce the broad powers of his office.
Widespread arson and clashes were reported from many parts of the country, while houses and properties of several government MPs were torched. At least nine people, including an MP of the ruling party, were killed in the violence. Since then the military has been called in to help police maintain the law, along with powers to shoot rioters. A nationwide curfew is also in place.
On Wednesday, Gotabaya Rajapaksa brushed off calls for his resignation as president, but promised a new prime minister and cabinet within weeks. He also said that once political stability is restored, he will hold discussions with all political parties to return more power to Parliament and reduce the access of the working president.
(with inputs from agencies)
“He is being sworn in as Prime Minister this evening as he has many members” Parliament Asked them to handle and solve the problems of the country.” Vajira AbhaywardeneAn official of the United National Party, headed by Wickremesinghe.
The announcement could bring some stability to the country, which is on the verge of bankruptcy and needs the government to lead bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. The country’s central bank chief has threatened to resign if political order is not restored immediately.
Here’s what you need to know about Ranil Wickremesinghe –
* 73-year-old Wickremesinghe has been in Parliament for 45 years.
* He has extensive international ties and is seen as an able negotiator.
* A lawyer by training, Wickremesinghe was first elected as an MLA in 1977.
* He is seen as a survivor in the politics of the island nation.
* He served as a minister in several governments and served as prime minister for the first time in the early 1990s.
* He had an unbroken streak in parliament until 2020, when his party was decimated following the Easter Sunday bombings.
* His political party split in 2020 amid a leadership crisis and most senior members left to form a new party, which is currently the country’s main opposition.
* Wickremesinghe’s reputation had suffered during his previous term as prime minister, when he was in a difficult power-sharing arrangement with the former president Maithripala Sirisena,
* An internal conflict and communication breakdown between him and Sirisena was blamed on intelligence lapses that led to the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in 2019, which killed more than 260 people.
* He was also accused of shielding a friend appointed as the head of the Central Bank from allegations of insider trading.
Sri Lanka is in the worst economic condition in its independent history. With inflation touching 30 per cent, the crisis has also become a political risk for the Rajapaksa family. The lack of everything from food to basic medicines has brought angry citizens to the streets over the past several weeks. On Monday, largely peaceful protests turned violent with government supporters attacking protesters.
The then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, but this did not quell the anger. Protesters have long demanded that the president also step down and that the constitution be amended to reduce the broad powers of his office.
Widespread arson and clashes were reported from many parts of the country, while houses and properties of several government MPs were torched. At least nine people, including an MP of the ruling party, were killed in the violence. Since then the military has been called in to help police maintain the law, along with powers to shoot rioters. A nationwide curfew is also in place.
On Wednesday, Gotabaya Rajapaksa brushed off calls for his resignation as president, but promised a new prime minister and cabinet within weeks. He also said that once political stability is restored, he will hold discussions with all political parties to return more power to Parliament and reduce the access of the working president.
(with inputs from agencies)